Angry
residents in Highbridge have this week hit out at supermarket
giant Asda over controversial new plans to introduce early morning
deliveries at 5am each weekday.

The
store in Caxton Road is seeking a variation to its planning conditions
to allow lorries to make deliveries on Monday to Saturdays from
5am-9pm, and on Sundays from 9am-5pm.

Local
residents have this week raised a number of concerns about the
controversial plans.

John
and Gill Belhomme, who live near the store, say the plans will
effect "their health and quality of life."

"My
wife is worrying herself sick at the thought of Asda's huge vehicles
coming along between 5 and 6am - there is no way that one would
sleep through that," said John.

Susan
Sloan, whose family lived besides the Asda store until last year,
told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "My daughter moved out of her flat
next to this store because of the disruption from passing traffic.
It's just so unfair that this latest plan is being considered
- it's very inconsiderate to residents."

Another
resident, who asked not to be named, said: "This store is
right next door to lots of residential homes. None of us want
noisy delivery lorries in this area at 5am - it's just a ridiculous
proposal."

But
Kate Gapper from RPS Planning, on behalf of Asda, explained: "The
existing delivery restriction leads to a lack of customer choice
and waste. Allowing Asda to accept deliveries from 5am on Monday
to Saturday will bring about more customer benefits as food can
be on the shelves before the store starts getting busy at 8am."

"Receiving
deliveries when the store is at its busiest leads to conflict
between staff stocking shelves and customers. In addition, it
does not provide early customers with the wider choice. Deliveries
as proposed will also result in benefits to the customer in terms
of a wider choice of produce and longer shelf life and life of
the goods once purchased by the customer."

"The
earlier delivery times will allow for the first round of home
shopping customers to receive the full range of fresh products
thus benefiting the customer. The number of deliveries will not
increase as a result of allowing this application."

The
proposal is due to be considered by town councillors and district
councillors over the next few weeks.

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